News: Thrive NC is coming to Raleigh on May 10 and 11, Foodies Rejoice!

While you may realize that the Triangle and Raleigh has been in a food renaissance of late, we sometimes forget that not everyone is lucky enough to enjoy all the foodie riches. With all the farms in our lovely state, it’s hard to believe that North Carolina is in the top 10 for food insecurity in the nation. That means our at-risk population (children, seniors, and others) are unable to regularly obtain a healthy and nourishing meal.

This past Tuesday, I had the opportunity to attend a media tasting sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina to discuss their upcoming Thrive NC event coming to City Market in Raleigh on May 10 and 11. Executives from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Dr. Patrick Conway and Reagan Greene Pruitt, VP of Integrated Marketing and Community Engagement) told us a bit about the inaugural Thrive NC event and why it was so important for the citizens of NC to be involved. Given our rich history in farming and agriculture, we can make our community more aware of this food insecurity, right in our midst. By discussing how it impacts peoples lives and health for the worse, we can work together to find a fix. During the Thrive NC media event, we also got to meet Chef Jeff Seizer (Royale) and Sophia Woo (MOFU Shoppe) who will be participating in Thrive NC

To help raise awareness of food insecurity in NC, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina will be hosting a series of events (Thrive NC Summit, Day of Service, VIP Reception) revolving around the importance of food for economic development and children’s nutrition. These events are invitation only BUT you can support their efforts by joining us on May 10 and 11 at the public Thrive NC events!

Dumplings and brussels sprouts from MOFU Shoppe

There will be a showcase of local food, chefs and culinary displays that looks pretty fantastic, in my opinion. On Thursday, Thrive NC will have Vivian Howard (Chef and the Farmer), Sam Jones (Sam Jones Barbeque) and Teddy Diggs (Il Palio) in the house. Followed by Andrea Reusing (Lantern), Cheetie Kumar (Garland) and Ashley Christensen (Poole’s Diner) on Friday for chef demonstrations. There will also be a variety of tastings from local restaurants and beverage sponsors for you to enjoy. Live music will be provided by Kasey Tyndall, Joe Kwon and others for your enjoyment.

Sandwiches from Lucarne

Sounds like a lot of fun and deliciousness for a $30 ticket, eh? What makes it even better is that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina will be supporting a variety of local charities from this event. From A Place at the Table to the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, Raleigh City Farm and more. Check out the list below for what’s planned to be on the Thrive NC menu, wow! I’ve linked to my food blog reviews if one is available.

So what are you waiting for, foodie friend?! It’s time to go grab your Thrive NC tickets, hope to see you there on May 10 (Thursday) and May 11 (Friday)!